Reading to worms from picture books, digging in the dirt and transforming pinecones into bird feeders—all those fun learning activities are part of a unique, nature-based Portland Public Schools summer program helping rising kindergartners and first-graders get ready for school.

Starting kindergarten or first grade can be a big transition, but the program—called Step-Into-Kindergarten-and-First-Grade—helps make that transition easier.

The approximately four-week summer program, held at Reiche and Talbot elementary schools, is a school-readiness program for students entering kindergarten and first grade. Through engaging, hands-on activities, students have been building foundational literacy and social skills—ensuring a confident start to their elementary school journey. The nature-based activities include read-alouds, songs, writing activities and tasks involving motor skills.

Lessons at Reiche included reading to worms and exploring the school garden to learn how plants grow.

Before the students headed outside into the school garden, teacher Amy Wu was out there scooping compost filled with worms into little glass jars for each student. She made sure that each jar contained at least one worm for the students to have their own little invertebrate to read to. Wu placed the jar on picnic tables and covered each jar with a picture book. She said the covering is necessary because local robins have learned her routine throughout the summer program and help themselves to the worms.

The students squealed with excitement as they uncovered their new worm friends and showed them to their classmates before the story reading began, as shown in this video. In addition to being fun, the activity gave students a chance to learn social skills important to success in school, such as listening to their teacher, following instructions, taking turns and sharing.

After the students shared their books with the worms, it was time to move into Reiche’s garden. Wu said outdoor learning is a big part of the school curriculum at Reiche, and the program helps familiarize city kids with being outdoors in nature.  The school garden is a little oasis of vegetables and flowers and also includes a peach tree heavy with fruit and a resident rabbit that likes to nibble on the bounty.

In the garden, students took turns visiting various stations to learn about the elements plants need to grow. One of the most popular was the soil station, a sandbox filled with dirt with some water added. The students enjoyed scooping up the resulting mud. After a clean-up with the aid of a garden hose, the youngsters moved to other activities, such as turning pinecones into birdfeeders by smearing them with peanut butter and bird seed— providing a healthy treat for birds when hung in a tree. The fun activities were not only learning opportunities, but helped students hone their fine and gross motor skills.

Overall, Wu said, the Step-Into-Kindergarten-and-First-Grade program “builds on [the children’s] social emotional skills and their early readiness skills and their emergent literacy skills—and hopefully these students are the leaders for other students that didn’t take part.”

The program is free to participating families. It is funded by the Foundation for Portland Public Schools and PPS.

This story was submitted by The Portland Public Schools. To submit a good news story to the Maine DOE, please fill out the good news submission form.

For the past seven years, Dedham School in AOS #47 has provided middle school students with an opportunity to build skills, explore the outdoors, and connect with their peers through its Mountain Biking Team.

The fall extracurricular program was developed for students in grades 6 through 8 and extends learning beyond the physical education classroom. Students meet three times a week to develop biking skills, build trails, and head out on group rides, combining physical activity with teamwork, problem-solving, and outdoor adventure.

“The best part of this program is watching students grow in confidence, develop new skills, and support one another,” Dedham School Physical Education/Health Teacher Tim Pearson said. Pearson hosts the Mountain biking program each year. “Mountain biking challenges students in different ways, and it’s rewarding to see them encourage each other, work as a team, and discover what they’re capable of both on and off the bike.”

The program also brings students together with the broader school community through two invitational mountain biking competitions hosted by Dedham School each year. These events welcome interested students from area schools, giving young riders opportunities to challenge themselves, build confidence, and share their enthusiasm for the sport.

Thanks to support from Outride, the Maine Bicycle Competition, First Push Syndicate, local bike shops, and community members, students have access to the bikes, helmets, and equipment they need to participate. These partnerships help make mountain biking more accessible and create opportunities for students to discover a new passion.

Watch the action: View a video from a past Dedham School mountain biking competition on YouTube.

Through its mountain biking program, Dedham School is helping students stay active, develop new skills, and build connections with their peers and community—all while enjoying the outdoors.

Information for this article was provided by Dedham School in AOS #47. To learn more about this program, contact Dedham School Physical Education/Health Teacher Tim Pearson at tpearson@dedhamschool.net. To submit a good news story to the Maine DOE, please fill out the good news submission form.

In 2026, Maine is celebrating a remarkable milestone: 150 years of Deaf education in the state.

For a century and a half, Maine has worked to ensure that Deaf and Hard of Hearing children have access to education, language, relationships, and opportunities to thrive. While the way services are delivered has evolved significantly over the years, one thing has remained constant—the commitment to supporting Maine’s Deaf and Hard of Hearing students and their families.

Today, that work extends far beyond a single school or campus. The Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MECDHH)/Governor Baxter School for the Deaf (GBSD) provides services to children and families throughout the state, partnering with schools and communities to ensure students receive the support they need where they live and learn.

150 Years of Growth and Change

Maine’s Deaf education story began in 1876, when the Portland School for the Deaf opened its doors. Twenty-one years later, the Maine Legislature formally established the Maine School for the Deaf as a state institution, taking responsibility for educating Deaf children from across Maine.

The school found a new home in 1957, when it moved from Portland to Mackworth Island. Governor Percival P. Baxter provided the island to the State of Maine for public purposes and contributed significant funding toward construction of a new school and causeway. In his honor, the school was formally named the Governor Baxter School for the Deaf.

The work continued to evolve with the needs of Maine’s children and families. In 2001, the organization became the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, reflecting an expanded statewide mission.

Today, MECDHH/GBSD provides education, early intervention, consultation, evaluation, specially designed instruction, speech and language services, social-emotional programming, family services, and other supports to Deaf and Hard of Hearing children and their schools.

A Statewide Mission

While Mackworth Island remains an important part of the history of Deaf education in Maine, much of MECDHH/GBSD’s work today takes place in communities across the state.

The organization currently serves approximately 582 clients, students, and families from birth through age 22. Approximately 94 percent receive services in their home districts or communities, allowing students to access specialized Deaf education supports while remaining connected to their schools, families, and peers.

For the coming school year, approximately 6 percent of students will attend MECDHH/GBSD site-based programs in Lewiston, including programs at Farwell Elementary School, Lewiston Middle School, and Lewiston High School. These host-based programs provide inclusive Deaf education classrooms within general education settings through a partnership with Lewiston schools.

The statewide model reflects how Deaf education in Maine has continued to grow—from a school in Portland, to a school on an island, to a network of services supporting children and families wherever they live.

On September 26, the Maine Association of the Deaf hosted this year’s Deaf Culture Festival at the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing/Governor Baxter School for the Deaf campus on Mackworth Island.

Mackworth Island: Honoring the Past, Building the Future

Mackworth Island continues to play an important role in Maine’s Deaf education story. Today, the island is primarily home to the Mackworth Island Preschool, an integrated preschool program serving Deaf and Hard of Hearing children alongside typically developing peers.

The island represents generations of students, educators, families, and members of the Deaf community who have contributed to the history of Deaf education in Maine.

As MECDHH/GBSD celebrates 150 years, that history serves as a foundation for the future.

The goal remains as important today as it was 150 years ago: ensuring that Deaf and Hard of Hearing children have access to language-rich learning, high-quality instruction, meaningful relationships, family partnership, and opportunities to reach their full potential.

Looking Ahead to the Next 150 Years

A 150th anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate how far Maine has come—and to look ahead to what comes next.

MECDHH/GBSD recognizes the educators, students, families, Deaf community members, advocates, school leaders, interpreters, specialists, and many others who have shaped Deaf education in Maine over the past 150 years.

Their work has helped create a statewide system that continues to adapt to the needs of Maine’s children and families.

As the organization begins its next 150 years, MECDHH/GBSD remains committed to building on that legacy and ensuring that every Deaf and Hard of Hearing child in Maine has the opportunity to learn, connect, and thrive.

After 150 years, the story of Deaf education in Maine is not only one of history—it is a story that continues to grow.

Information for this story was submitted by The Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing/Governor Baxter School for the Deaf. To submit a good news story to the Maine DOE, please fill out the good news submission form.